Methods of implementing a water-cooling system into a burner panel and related apparatuses

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for use in metal melting, refining and/or other processing, such as, for example, steel making in an electric arc furnace (EAF), and more particularly, to improved burner panels and related methods for the introduction of various energy sources, such as, for example, chemical energy and particulates.

1. A tapered burner panel apparatus mounted within a furnace, the burner panel apparatus comprising:
 a water-cooled tapered burner panel disposed within an opening in a wall of the furnace, the furnace wall opening having a bottom surface upon which the water-cooled tapered burner panel rests, the water-cooled tapered burner panel having a vertically oriented mounting surface, a downwardly sloping tapered upper surface that extends into the furnace, a first tapered sidewall surface that extends into the furnace, a second tapered sidewall surface that extends into the furnace, a downwardly sloping tapered underside surface that extends into the furnace, a front side surface that is disposed within the furnace, and shaped grooves, wherein: 
 the mounting surface having top, bottom, and first and second side edges; and 
 the upper, underside, and first and second sidewall surfaces extending from the top, bottom, and first and second side edges of the mounting surface, respectively; and 
 at least one apparatus aperture positioned in the front side surface; and 
 at least one apparatus positioned within the at least one apparatus aperture, 
 wherein the at least one aperture extends to below the bottom surface of the furnace wall opening; and wherein the apparatus is at least one of an auxiliary thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector. 
 
     
     
       2. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one apparatus comprises first and second apparatuses. 
     
     
       3. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one apparatus aperture comprises first and second apparatus apertures and the at least one apparatus comprises first and second apparatuses that are positioned within the first and second apparatus apertures, respectively. 
     
     
       4. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said tapered burner panel apparatus further comprises a plurality of surfaces exposed to an interior of the furnace; 
 the plurality of surfaces comprises the upper, underside, front side, and first and second sidewall surfaces, and wherein a substantial portion of said plurality of surfaces is other than orthogonal to the furnace's metal line. 
 
     
     
       5. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein only the mounting surface and the first and second sidewall surfaces of said plurality of surfaces are orthogonal to the furnace's metal line. 
     
     
       6. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shaped groove is on the upper surface of the burner panel. 
     
     
       7. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the burner panel apparatus is a plug and use burner panel apparatus. 
     
     
       8. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second tapered sidewall surfaces taper inwardly. 
     
     
       9. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one aperture extends to a split line of the furnace. 
     
     
       10. A tapered burner panel apparatus disposed within an opening in a wall of a furnace, the furnace wall opening having a bottom surface upon which the water-cooled tapered burner panel rests, the burner panel apparatus comprising:
 a vertically oriented mounting surface having upper, lower, and first and second side edges, the mounting surface configured to be mounted in an opening of a furnace wall; 
 an upper surface having rear, front and first and second side edges, the upper surface extending from the upper edge of the mounting surface at the rear side edge thereof; 
 an underside surface having rear, front and first and second side edges, the underside surface extending from the lower edge of the mounting surface at the rear side edge thereof; 
 a first tapered sidewall surface having upper, lower, rear, and front edges, the first tapered sidewall surface extending from the first side edge of the mounting surface and between the first side edges of the upper and underside surfaces; 
 a second tapered sidewall surface having upper, lower, rear, and front edges, the second tapered sidewall surface extending from the second side edge of the mounting surface and between the second side edges of the upper and underside surfaces; 
 a front surface having upper, lower, and first and second side edges, the front surface extending between the front edges of the upper, underside, and first and second tapered sidewall surfaces; 
 an apparatus aperture disposed within the front surface; and an apparatus positioned within the apparatus aperture, wherein the apparatus is at least one of an auxiliary thermal energy source, a particulate injector, or an oxygen injector, wherein:
 the upper surface slopes downwardly away from the upper edge of the mounting surface at an acute angle with respect to horizontal; 
 the lower surface slopes downwardly away from the lower edge of the mounting surface at an obtuse angle with respect to horizontal; and 
 the apparatus aperture extends to below the bottom surface of the furnace wall opening. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the front surface slopes downwardly toward the mounting surface. 
     
     
       12. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the front surface has a smaller surface area than a surface area defined by the upper, lower, and first and second side edges of the mounting surface. 
     
     
       13. The tapered burner panel apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein, out of all of the upper, underside, front, and first and second sidewall surfaces, only the first and second sidewall surfaces are oriented perpendicular to that of the mounting surface.